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The USF Men’s Soccer team is ready to kick off their highly anticipated 2012 season. Make sure to catch the Bulls in action at their home opener vs Michigan on Friday at 7pm.
Bulls head coach George Kiefer is eager to start the season and he plans to plan waste no time on "warm-up" or "practice" games. He doesn't believe it does he team any good, and he'd prefer to start at the top & he intends to do so by defeating the Wolverines in front of the Bulls enthusiastic crowd their season opener.
Last season the Bulls had more than 18,000 fans show up to support them and they plan to build on that in 2012. There's no denying the Bulls truly do have a home field advantage when facing opponents; USF's stadium is specifically designed that way, right down to the "Kop" sections behind each goal. And with a new facility on campus and a 2011 season to be proud of, there's no reason fans won't be flocking out to Corbett Stadium on Friday night.
The Wolverines enter the season with a new head coach, Chaka Daley. While Daley may be new to the Michigan sidelines, he may be a familiar face to Bulls fans. He spent the last 12 seasons as head coach for USF's Big East rivals, the Providence College Friars. Daley and PC also beat USF in the Big East title match in 2006.
The Bulls ended the 2011 season they made an appearance at the Elite Eight in the 2011 NCAA College Cup Championships. However, it ended in heartbreak when they lost in overtime to the #2 seed Creighton. The 2012 edition is currently ranked #5 going into this season; with a roster filled with talent that including eight starters and 18 letter winners returning for the 2012 season.
The Bulls seem to have a team capable of finally breaking through to the College Cup, and today you can get the first glimpse of the team’s potential for the upcoming season. With a big win over the Wolverines early in the season, this could be just the momentum this team needs to make their post-season goals come true. Do the Bulls have what it takes to make it to the post-season again? Will 2012 be the season the Bulls bring the championship home to Tampa? It may be too early in the season to tell, but one thing is clear. They can't do it without the support of the USF community. Grab your friends & head on over to Corbett Soccer Stadium to show your support for the Bulls this season. Tickets are only $6; unless you’re a student/child, in which case they are free. Or if you can’t make it out to the game, catch it on Fox Soccer Channel.